As travel bloggers we travel a lot. Travel costs money, which we always seem to be short of! There is a lot to think about when you’re planning a trip, from the SIM only deals you get to ensure that you can stay communicative when you’re moving around, to the hotels you budget for. Travelling on a budget can be exciting and easy, you just have to make sure that you plan everything in advance. Over the years we’ve fine-tuned our travel preparation to help keep costs down. And it all starts with the planning. Here’s a few tips that we’ve picked up along the way.
Clothes
With clothes you really need to pack frugally. What is the point of stuffing your entire wardrobe into your case, only to wear the top few layers? You need underwear for the number of days you are away. A swimming costume and sunhat. Nightwear. Skirts or trousers can be worn several times – just pack a different top for each day. A light jacket. Two pairs of shoes – the sturdy flats you travel in, and some sandals/flip flops for the resort. That’s it. Leave everything else at home! And there’s really no need to buy a new wardrobe of clothes for a week’s holiday in the sun.
Toiletries
I have two toiletry bags – one smaller one for toothbrushes and toothpaste, the other for the rest. The rest includes shampoo, soap/body wash, face cream, a razor, deodorant, hairbrush, sun cream and after sun and a small make-up set. You don’t need to buy the expensive travel-sized bottles – especially if you’re travelling as a family – just buy from the supermarket (look out for the offers!)
Non-essential items
Whenever we go on a pool or beach-based holiday, the children always ask for inflatable water toys, and these are often really expensive if you buy at your resort. So, we always pack a few pool toys for the children at the bottom of a suitcase … we have a holiday coming up, and I’ve bought a giant pizza slice airbed to amuse them!
Other things that cost more when you reach your destination – sun cream, after sun, sun hats. Plan ahead and make sure you pack enough.
At the airport
If you are flying long haul, you’ll have up to 3 hours to wait around in the departures lounge of the airport. And what is this full of? Shops! Boredom forces you to look around all of them; but it’s important to resist temptation, unless it is something you’ve planned for (like duty-free perfume as you’ve run out). The children will want to eat … pack some healthy dry snacks from home so you only need to buy them a drink. Pack them a ‘travel pack’ to take on board with them – a book, travel game, colouring pad and pencils. Most of these items can be bought from pound shops. It helps distract the children, avoiding the endless “can I have” or “I want” demands. You really don’t need to spend much money in an airport departure lounge!
While on holiday
Once you’ve settled in to your hotel, you can still save some pennies without detracting from the fun. We try not to book hotels on a B&B basis, as this means we’ll have to go out to find dinner every evening (and the cost mounts up). We do, however, opt for self-catering. I know people say that it’s no holiday if they have to cook, but we actually enjoy it. We visit local markets and buy local produce and we all eat really simply, which is often the nicest way. Bread, cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, olive oil, a bottle of wine … hopefully sitting on a veranda overlooking the sea!
Of course, if you are staying on an all-inclusive or full board basis, then make sure you use what you’re paying for … don’t go off-site to eat, because a perfectly good meal is waiting for you that you’ve already paid for when you booked the holiday. Same for drinks – if local drinks are included in the cost, then drink local drinks.
Touring the Area
If, while on your holiday, you fancy leaving the resort to explore, the best place to look has to be google or sites like TripAdvisor. Just search on your location and read reviews. When you’ve found something/somewhere you’d like to see, search again for ‘best way to get to xx from xx’ and this will 90% of the time provide all your transport options.
Hiring a car is often cheaper if you book before you fly – if this is something you are keen to do, then do investigate this as early as you can. Read the small print and make sure you have the necessary cover/waivers included in the cost you pay. (And don’t forget your driving license.)
Booking your holiday!
Of course, the biggest savings for your whole holiday can be made right at the start, when you’re booking your flight/hotel package. It’s important to shop around. Most recently we used Holiday Gems for a last-minute cheap deal to the Mediterranean. We believe we saved a considerable sum by opting for a flight/hotel package, and we loved the resort. If you are looking for a good deal on a holiday, you should visit their website.
Travelling on a budget doesn’t have to ‘ruin your fun’. Quite the opposite in fact. And who wants a hard-hit credit card bill to arrive once you are back home? What budget-friendly tips do you have to add to our list? Please let us know by leaving a comment x
